Hey, this is Mamanad!
I’m going to start the blog from the very beginning of the journey.
Moving into a new place is challenging. There must be adjustments here and there. Not to mention living in a whole different country. It’s not gonna be easy. But like what the wise people say, one step at a time.
When I finished the mandatory hotel quarantine, my flatmate and I directly went to our flat in London’s Zone 2. Our landlord has expected to see us that day. She explained how to use several tools that she provided at the flat. She was so kind that she gave us food. She has lived in the UK for years but she is originally from Bangladesh.
I have made a list and these are the things that you need to consider when you move to London:
- Buying bed essentials such as pillows and duvet at Argos
- Buying home interior such as mirror, laundry airer, shoe rack
- Buying kitchenware at any store near neighborhood (there must be one!)
- Grocery shopping survey (Morrisons, ALDI, Tesco, LIDL, Sainsbury’s, Longdan Asian Supermarket)
- Set up the Wifi (use our Virgin Media referral code!)
- Clothing & fashion at Uniqlo, Primark or go thrifting at charity shops in London (read here for my thrift shops recommendation)
- Beauty & pharmacy drugstores such as Boots
- Buy Oyster card for transportation mobility purposes (for Underground, Overground & bus) for the travel card zone 1 & 2 I bought for 104 GBP
We really love this flat because it is strategic and it is affordable in terms of the rent fee. To go to the campus, I just need around 25 minutes by bus and 10 minutes by tube. The bus station is only a 1-minute walk from the flat and the tube station is just 5 minutes away. After unpacking my stuff, I took some rest for a while. And then, stroll around the neighborhood.
We strolled around Camden – our hippy neighborhood. It is a juxtaposition of stores, selling everything from London souvenirs, baker boy hats, exotic foods, and whatnots.
Starting from Camden Market, Camden Lock, and the High Street. I realize that there is always a moment of figuring out something new when you walk past the streets.
Camden precinct has been renowned for its lively and creative economy. Although in the past, it is known to be the hub for gin! The Regent’s canal in the heart of Camden was used to distribute the gin.
After quite a while, I realized that Camden has so many thrift shops. As a student, this is such a trick to stay stylish with a low budget. I will spill to you the thrift shops in the next post if you want. Let me know what kind of post you want!
Stay tuned for more stories of Mamanad in London! X
Nadia Atmaji 
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